China on Monday said it was “gravely concerned” about reports that Japan could soon join the Aukus security pact amid a push for its inclusion by the United States.
The move “disregards the risk of nuclear proliferation” and would “intensify the arms race in the Indo-Pacific region and disrupt regional peace and stability”, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a daily press briefing.
The US, Britain and Australia were set to announce talks on Monday about bringing new members into the defence alliance, as Washington pushes for Japan to be involved as a deterrent against China, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
Mao said Beijing “opposes the formation of exclusive ‘small circles’ and the creation of bloc confrontation”.
“Japan, in particular, should deeply learn from historical lessons and exercise caution in military security,” she said.
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Aukus will ‘get done’, Biden tells Australia’s Albanese during visit to Washington
Aukus will ‘get done’, Biden tells Australia’s Albanese during visit to Washington
Formed in 2021, Aukus is a military technology partnership aimed at countering China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. China has called the pact dangerous and warned it could spur a regional arms race.
The three Aukus defence ministers will announce on Monday that they will launch talks related to Pillar II of the pact, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the situation.
Pillar II commits the members to collaborate on military technologies including quantum computing, artificial intelligence, hypersonic weapons and undersea capabilities.
The report said they would not expand the first pillar, which focuses on Australia’s procurement of nuclear-powered submarines.
US President Joe Biden has been seeking to strengthen partnerships with allies in Asia including Japan and the Philippines amid a rapid military build-up by China and its growing assertiveness in the region.
Japan is seen as a natural candidate to join the Aukus alliance since it is the critical ally in Asia for each member.
Biden and Kishida to announce ‘historic’ US-Japan agreement: envoy
Biden and Kishida to announce ‘historic’ US-Japan agreement: envoy
The US is expected to discuss Japan’s involvement in the pact when Biden hosts Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on Wednesday.
Washington and Tokyo are also set to announce that they are planning the biggest upgrade to their security alliance since 1960, according to the FT report.
The report came after Rahm Emanuel, the US ambassador to Tokyo, wrote in an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal last Wednesday that Japan was “about to become the first additional Pillar II partner”.
His comment was quietly welcomed by some in the US government hoping it might accelerate the push for Japan to join Aukus, but with no agreement yet it irked others in Washington, as well as in London, Canberra and Tokyo, according to the FT report.
Washington is also hosting the first-ever US-Japan-Philippines trilateral summit on Thursday.
